1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an exercise device and use thereof, and more particularly to an exercise device constructed with handles and/or at least one protruding knob, and/or which can be secured to the user's limbs by a padded strap and/or held on a user's back via shoulder straps that attach to the exercise device. The exercise device is constructed with a single, open interior compartment capable of being filled with a destabilizing liquid, which serves the dual purpose of providing resistance to muscular movement and providing destabilization of the exercise as an aid in improving the user's balance and coordination by working the user's stabilizing muscles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exercise devices with handles for ease of holding the device are available. During a weight bearing exercise with standard handles, the smaller muscle groups of the flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris and/or brachioradialis muscles of the forearms and hands act merely as extensions of the major muscle groups in the arms and torso, with minimal recruitment of the aforementioned muscles of the forearms and hands.
Further, exercise devices are known that can be filled with water or other material as a means of adding an amount of weight to the device. Some of these devices are designed to receive particulate material such as sand or liquids such as water. Sand adds the desired resistance weight, but does not move around freely like fluids do, thereby stabilizing the exercise device. Those devices that employ water generally do so because the water can be drained from the device to reduce the weight of the device and allow the device to collapse to a reduced volume for storage and transport. Further when water is used, many of the devices employ internal baffles to inhibit rapid motion of substantial amounts of fluid in response to motion of the exercise device or add chemicals that react with the water to form a gel that does not move around freely within the device. Use of internal baffles or chemicals that form a gel within the devices are employed to increase the stability of the exercise device, and eliminate the benefits derived from the purposeful exploitation of the inertia generated by an unstable fluid.
Still other devices are known that are simply a ball filled with water that has no baffles, but also has no handles or other means of holding the ball or attaching the ball to the user's body. These water filled balls are hard to handle and can only be used by holding them with the arms. Because the arms of the user are occupied by holding this type of water filled ball, the user can not engage in training activities for many sports, such as for example tennis, baseball, wrestling, biking, etc. while using these types of devices.
Some other devices provide positional instability for the user by utilizing a shape that sits unevenly on the floor and is meant to be stood, lain or sat upon. Some of those devices introduce filler into the device as ballast in order to reduce the amount of movement when the user is sitting, standing or laying on it in order to make the device easier for an inexperienced user. These exercise devices utilize the concept of positional instability (i.e., sitting, standing or laying on the device) in order to strengthen the core supportive muscles and increase balance and proprioceptive awareness. The practical disadvantage of this design is that other devices, such as traditional weights or weighted cables, must be utilized with the device in order to introduce muscular resistance into one's exercise routine. Further, the number of exercises and movements which can be performed while sitting, standing or laying on the device are limited, and the user cannot utilize a full range of motion while positioned on the device.
It is therefore desirable to provide an exercise device and use thereof that utilizes handles and/or at least one protruding knob, and/or which can be secured to the user's limbs by a padded strap and/or held on a user's back via shoulder straps that attach to the exercise device.
It is further desirable to provide an exercise device constructed with a single, open interior compartment capable of being filled with a destabilizing liquid, which serves the dual purpose of providing resistance to muscular movement and providing destabilization of the exercise as an aid in improving the user's balance and coordination by working the user's stabilizing muscles.
It is still further desirable to provide an exercise device having at least one protruding knob shaped and having surface area designed to allow the palm of the hand of the user to cover the knob while allowing just the fingers of the hand to curl under the edges of the dome shape during grip strengthening exercises.
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that provides resistance to muscular movement without the necessity of additional weights or exercise devices while allowing the user to experience a full range of motion utilizing the legs and lower body, while simultaneously providing the user with the benefits of stability training.
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that allows a user to work out with a lighter weight with the same amount of muscle fiber recruitment used in a standard heavier weight, thereby reducing stress on joints and tendons;
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that allows for full range of motion exercises and eliminates the danger of falling or slipping inherent to positional stability devices.
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device capable of being used by a variety of users and exercises by varying the amount of water fill, thereby reducing cost and storage space.
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that will not cause damage to users or property when dropped or slammed as would an iron weight.
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that can be shipped unfilled and, therefore, much less expensively than heavier weights and does not have the high maintenance costs associated with more complicated pieces of equipment.
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that is relatively inexpensive and of an easily variable weight, which can be used in class settings, increasing the revenue stream of fitness and rehabilitative facilities.
It is yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that is an “all-in-one” device that, in addition to recruiting more muscle fiber in order to stabilize the weight during exercise, also forces the minute changes in body positioning required to complete an exercise correctly, which in turn increases a user's awareness of where their body is in space (proprioceptive awareness), and causes neuromuscular coordination and balance to become more efficient and precise.
It is still yet further desirable to provide an exercise device that may be used to treat a variety of body parts during all phases of rehabilitation, such as proprioceptive/kinesthetic awareness, co-contraction and neuromuscular reeducation during early phases of rehabilitation; neural adaptation, strength and joint stabilization training for all body parts throughout the kinetic chain during intermediate phases of rehabilitation; and power and plyometric training, sports specific movements, anaerobic conditioning and muscular endurance during functional training/advanced phase of rehabilitations.